Woman accused of having sex with mentally disabled teen at request of boyfriend

ELYRIA – An Elyria woman is facing rape and sexual battery charges for allegedly having sexual relations with a mentally disabled 16-year-old boy.

Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will said Sherrie Swingler, 35, engaged in sex with the boy, who has a mental age between 5 and 8, at the request of 47-year-old Gerald Bodiford. Will said Bodiford saw the sexual relations between Swingler and the boy, which allegedly took place on June 7, as something of a coming-of-age rite of passage for the teen.